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Press Release

Third Member of Laguna Pueblo Sentenced for Conviction Arising Out of Drive-By Shooting of Acoma Pueblo Home

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Joseph Edward Lucero, 25, of Laguna Pueblo, was sentenced this morning to 74 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for his assault conviction arising out of the drive-by shooting of an Acoma Pueblo home.

Lucero is the third of four members of Laguna Pueblo to be sentenced in this case.  Co-defendants Preston Chino, 22, and Cameron Joseph Kasero, 21, were each sentenced last week to 96 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Lucero, Chino and Kasero, together with co-defendant Andrea Carrillo, 22, were indicted on assault and firearms offenses in July 2013.  The indictment alleged that the quartet assaulted two men and a woman on Dec. 9, 2012, by discharging firearms at a residence located in Acoma Pueblo in Cibola County, N.M.

Lucero entered a guilty plea to an assault charge on Sept. 9, 2014, and admitted repeatedly discharging a weapon at the victims’ residence. 

Chino pled guilty on Aug. 27, 2014, to an assault charge, and admitted aiding Kasero and Lucero in assaulting the three victims by providing them with shotguns and ammunition.  He also admitted driving his co-defendants to the victims’ Acoma Pueblo home where they discharged the shotguns multiple times in the direction of the residence.

Kasero pled guilty to an assault charge on Sept. 2, 2014.  During his plea hearing, Kasero admitted assaulting the victims by discharging a shotgun at a residence while it was occupied by the victims.

Carrillo entered a guilty plea to an assault charge on Sept. 2, 2014, and admitted aiding the assault on the victims by providing her co-defendants with directions to the residence with the understanding that her co-defendants intended to commit an assault at that location.  Carrillo is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 20, 2015, when she faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Laguna/Acoma Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Police and the Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback is prosecuting the case.

Updated January 26, 2015